Sports briefs
WVU to appeal Perez denial
The NCAA has denied a waiver for immediate eligibility for basketball guard Jose Perez at West Virginia, coach Bob Huggins announced Friday.
The 6-5 Perez transferred from Manhattan after his coach, Steve Masiello, was fired by the Jaspers on Oct. 25, two weeks before the start of the season. Perez enrolled at West Virginia in November for the spring semester.
Huggins said West Virginia plans to appeal the NCAA’s decision. Perez is eligible to start practicing with the Mountaineers on Dec. 17.
“We are disappointed by the news that we received this afternoon from the NCAA,” Huggins said.
Before transferring, Perez was chosen as the preseason Player of the Year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He averaged 18.9 points, 4.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds last season.
In college football
Jermaine Brown Jr. rushed for 116 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, Trea Shropshire had 183 yards receiving and a score, and UAB held off Miami (Ohio) 24-20 on Friday in the Bahamas Bowl.
UAB (7-6) won its second bowl game in a row and third in program history. The Blazers won their 50th game since returning in 2017 from a program shutdown.
Shropshire dominated the first half with 120 yards, and his second catch after halftime went for 50 yards to set up Brown’s 12-yard rushing touchdown for a 24-20 lead with 1:31 left.
Miami converted two fourth downs on its final drive and a 15-yard penalty set up the RedHawks on the 15 with one second left. Aveon Smith completed a pass over the middle to Jalen Walker but the UAB defense came up with a huge stop as Reynard Ellis made a tackle at the 2 as time expired.
- Gunnar Watson’s 12-yard scoring pass to RaJae’ Johnson in the third period put No. 23 Troy ahead to stay, and the Trojans forced five turnovers in an 18-12 come-from-behind win over No. 22 USTA in the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl.
Troy (12-2) closed out the season with 11 straight victories and set a school record for wins in a season.
USTA (11-3) outgained Troy 345-169.
In the NBA
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham had season-ending surgery on his left shin Friday.
Cunningham, the No. 1 pick overall in 2021, is expected to be cleared for basketball activities in the offseason.
The 6-6 guard averaged 19.9 points and six assists in 12 games this year, making his final appearance on Nov. 9.
- Louis Orr, a star forward at Syracuse who played eight NBA seasons before going into a lengthy career in coaching, has died. He was 64.
Orr’s family said in a statement through Georgetown that he died Thursday after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Orr helped Syracuse make four NCAA Tournament appearances from 1976-80 and earned All-Big East season and conference tournament honors during his senior year. His No. 55 was retired in 2015.